What's Done in the Dark
by Jade Ring
Summary: The sequel to 'Phases of the Moon.' No sin can remain buried forever. Shining Armor believes that his troubles are over. Princess Luna is at the end of her rope. One elated, the other tormented, the pair of sinners will soon be faced with one of the unquestioned absolutes of the universe...what's done in the dark will be brought to the light.


_As sure as God made black and white,_

_what's done in the dark will be brought to the light._

-Johnny Cash

Shining Armor paced the floor of the balcony nervously, his hooves creating a maddening beat that matched his rapid heart rate. Every few seconds he glanced at the door to the next room as though expecting it to fly open at any instant. For a moment he was convinced he'd seen the door knob jiggle… no, just a trick of the light. Frustrated, he continued his pacing.

"You really should calm down, your majesty." Golden Haze, Canterlot Castle's Captain of the Royal Guard, offered politely.

Shining Armor rounded on her and glared, the bags under his eyes standing out. "How can I calm down, Haze? I wouldn't be this worried if they would just let me in there…"

Golden Haze shook her head and offered her former commanding officer a small smile. "You know you can't be in there. This is the first time an alicorn has ever given birth, after all. Who know what could happen? The ambient magics could fry your brain for all we know."

He hung his head in submission, remembering to keep his knowledge of Princess Celestia's daughter a secret. "I guess you're right."

Laughing, the bright yellow unicorn broke protocol and hugged her old mentor tightly. "It'll be okay. I promise."

He returned the hug gratefully. "I know. I'm just worried sick. Cadance isn't due for another month and I…" Shining Armor's words were cut off by the sound of an opening door.

The two soldiers turned to see the chamber's door swing wide and reveal a beaming earth pony nurse. She gave a slight bow. "Your majesty?"

Shining Armor took a tentative step forward. "Is Cadance alright? Is the foal…?"

"A boy." The nurse cut him off.

"A… a boy?" Shining Armor repeated the phrase as though trying to work out a word in an alien tongue.

The nurse nodded and smiled. "A boy."

A huge smile broke upon the prince's face. He turned to Golden Haze. "A BOY!" He almost screamed at her.

Golden Haze took a step back and grinned. "I'm aware… sir."

The nurse stepped to the side and gestured towards the door. "Would you like to meet him?"

But the new father was already down the hall.

/

Cadance, exhausted and disheveled, looked up from the sleeping bundle before her to find her beloved in the doorway. "Shining Armor…" She whispered, smiling weakly. "Come and see your son."

On legs that had stood up to Changeling hordes and wicked immortal kings, Shining Armor crossed the room unsteadily and looked with reverence at the creature his wife held. "Cadance… he's perfect."

The turquoise blue foal twitched, a natural response to his first dream. His tiny wings flapped once and were still. His minute horn jutted from a tuft of two-toned gold and silver hair.

"So, the little prince is an alicorn." The voice, warm and caring as always, made the new parents turn and watch Princess Celestia enter the delivery room.

"Aunt Celestia, you didn't have to come." Cadance smiled sheepishly.

"And miss seeing my new grand-nephew? Perish the thought." Celestia bent over the newborn and kissed his forehead. "Good morning, little one." She looked up at the pair. "Have you decided on a name yet?"

Cadance and Shining Armor looked at each other and nodded. "Morning Dew." They said together.

Celestia nodded sagely. "A name that speaks of new beginnings. Very appropriate." Celestia leaned close to the foal's ear and whispered. "Welcome to the world, Prince Morning Dew."

Morning Dew whined in his slumber.

Cadance looked up at her husband and was shocked to see that he was crying. "Shining Armor?" She raised an eyebrow. "Liquid pride again?"

He waved away her comment and kissed her. "I love you."

She touched the tip of her horn to his and smiled. A spark of magic leapt between them, filling them both with the love they felt for each other. "I love you too."

"I am not interrupting anything, I hope?"

No longer as taken aback as they had been months previously when she had first dropped the constant use of the royal 'We,' the three occupants turned to watch the princess of the night enter the room. Luna, heavy with her own offspring, carefully made her way to the bed. She took in the foal and smiled approvingly at Cadance. "He has your cheekbones."

"And his father's eyes."

Luna nodded. "No need to wake the babe so I may see for myself. Congratulations, niece."

"Thank you, Aunt Luna."

Celestia took in Luna's plump form and gave a slight nod. "I suspect it won't be long before you are in this very bed, little sister."

Cadance tore her eyes away from the tiny life she had created and looked to Luna with pity. "I'm so sorry, Aunt Luna. I heard about the foal's father…"

Luna waved her off. "Colonel Nightshade died with honor. His child will remember him proudly." She grimaced and clutched at her stomach. "He always kicks when his father is mentioned."

"Tell me about it." Cadance laughed, looking over at Shining Armor who was now holding the sleeping foal. "Anytime Shining held me in bed, little Morning Dew there would try to kick his way out to try and meet him early."

Luna paid her no mind. She was too focused on Shining Armor and his son. The look in Shining Armor's eyes was more powerful than she could've ever imagined. He looked upon the foal with total dedication and affection, a newborn bond that could never be severed or damaged. She reached out a hoof to touch his shoulder. "Shining Armor…"

The foal inside her kicked.

Luna recoiled in pain but waved off the approaching nurse. "I'm fine. I just… I just need to go lie down." She gave an apologetic bow of her head and hastened out the door.

Sensing something wrong, Celestia made to follow her. She gave a quick look back and smiled at the new parents. "You should be very proud. Both of you."

The royal pair barely acknowledged her, so entranced were they by the now quietly snoring foal.

Celestia hastened out the door and spied Luna already down the length of the hall, heading for her tower most likely. With a single flap of her magnificent wings, the first born ruler of Equestria crossed the length of the hall and landed gracefully at her sister's side. "Luna? What's the matter?"

Luna stopped in her tracks and looked away. "I don't wish to speak about it, sister."

"You've been acting strange these past few months, and not normal pregnancy strange." She stepped in front of the shorter pony and laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Luna, what's wrong?"

The foal kicked again and Luna sniffled as she put a hoof to her belly. "It's… it's the foal's father…"

Celestia offered a comforting smile. "I know. It's always hard losing somepony you care about…"

"No, you misunderstand, Tia. Colonel Nightshade isn't dead."

"But I read the death report myself."

"A forgery."

"So…" Celestia took on a hopeful tone despite her confusion. "…that's good, yes? The foal will still have a father then."

Luna chuckled darkly. "You still aren't getting it. Colonel Nightshade isn't dead because he never existed. I made him up."

Celestia had had enough with her sister's half answers and riddles. "If you made him up, then where is the foal's father?"

Luna sighed… and pointed her hoof back towards the nursery chamber.

It didn't take the goddess long to connect the dots. Celestia gasped and withdrew her hoof as though Luna's skin had burned her. "Luna, _no_! You didn't?!"

Luna nodded, tears beginning to flow from her eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

"How long?"

"Since not long after the wedding."

Celestia was reeling from the information. "Does Shining…?"

"_NO_!" Luna's eyes flashed open as she inadvertently let loose a pulse of magic that rippled the air itself. "He can't know. He mustn't _ever_ know."

"Why?"

"Because… because I promised him this wouldn't happen."

Celestia shook her head and began to formulate a solution to the sticky situation. "We have to keep things the way they are then. Shining Armor will not find out. Nor will Cadance." She considered. "_Especially_ Cadance."

Luna wiped her eyes and looked at the sun goddess in confusion. "Are you not angry?"

A memory tugged at Celestia's heart strings. A memory of a perfect little foal in her arms… the result of her own transgressions. "A great many things happened while you were gone, little sister. Things that let me know what to do in situations such as this." She walked past Luna and back towards the nursery. "Just continue on as you have been… and pray that the foal doesn't look like him."

Luna nodded as she mounted the stairs to her tower.

"Luna."

The princess of the night turned to find her sister looking at her with an emotion in her eyes she hadn't seen in over a millennia; shame.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Luna. I thought you had changed."

Luna hung her head and stared at the stone floor. "As had I, Celestia. As had I."

/

Cadance smiled happily as her little son's hooves continued to bat at the air, still trying to explore even though her magic had snatched him just as he'd toppled over the edge of the enormous bed. Just a week old and already he was trying to crawl. The nurse-ponies were baffled. They said that no normal foal should be developing this quickly.

Of course the little Prince Morning Dew was no normal foal.

Cadance watched in bemused interest as his tiny eyes (indeed his father's shade) closed tight and his little face scrunched up. Cadance rolled her eyes and awaited this latest gift from her little treasure. Wasn't it Shining Armor's turn to change the diaper? He was just in the next room…

A minute beam of light arced from Morning Dew's diminutive horn and coalesced into the rough image of a pegasus pony. The hazy form was pink and badly blurry… almost like it was being seen through still-developing eyes.

Cadance watched in wonder as her son seemed to study the image he'd created, scrunched his face up again, and summoned an even smaller beam of light that connected with the image and gave it a horn.

It was a small rough image of Cadance herself.

Tears gathering in her eyes, Cadance kissed the now starting to snooze foal and called softly to the next room. "Shining Armor! Hurry!"

There were a series of loud crashes as the still over-excitable new father burst into the room. "Cadance?! Is he…?"

Cadance shushed him and gestured for him to come closer and examine the floating magical construct.

"Is that you?" Shining Armor asked in amazement.

Cadance nodded excitedly. "He's already trying to communicate. I wish I knew what he was trying to tell me."

Shining Armor smiled and kissed his beloved's cheek. "I think it's pretty obvious he's trying to say he loves his mommy."

Cadance gave her foal a nuzzle. "Mommy loves you too, little one."

Shining Armor beamed at his son and leaned in close. "Do you want to try saying something to daddy?"

Like he'd heard him, Morning Dew's face scrunched up again.

"I think he understood me!" Shining Armor exclaimed, stepping back so he could see whatever image the tiny prince would conjure up for him.

No image came… but a distinct odor floated past both parent's nostrils.

Shining Armor offered a sheepish grin. "Pretty sure that's also a message for you, love."

Cadance pouted. "Shining Armor! It's your turn to change him."

Shining Armor offered his wife his best pleading, puppy-dog eyed look. "Please, sweet pea? I promise I'll get the next one."

Cadance narrowed her eyes.

"…and I'll give you a hoof rub?"

No change in his wife's gaze.

"And I'll go get some of those sweets you like so much?"

A smile crossed the princess' face. "A big box?"

Shining Armor felt himself relaxing. "The biggest one in the store. I'll go get them right now."

Cadance nodded as she levitated the foal towards the changing table. "And I get my hoof rub while I'm eating them. In a bubble bath. Understood?"

Shining Armor snapped to mock-attention. "Yes ma'am."

Cadance looked back, a sultry look in her eyes. "If it's a big enough box of sweets, and if the hoof rub is up to snuff… then maybe I'll rub something of _yours_ once Morning Dew takes his nap."

Shining Armor trembled slightly at the tone in his wife's voice. "I'll do my best, ma'am."

"Very good, Captain." She flicked her tail at him. "Dismissed."

Shining Armor all but ran out the door to the bed-chambers. He broke into a full gallop once he reached the hallway proper…

…and nearly crashed headlong into Princess Luna.

Caught completely off-guard, Shining Armor slid to a stop mere inches from his mistress. She looked at him with wry amusement. "In a hurry, Shining Armor?"

Shining Armor laughed embarrassedly. "Sorry, Luna. I was just heading out into town."

Luna cocked her head at him. "Why go yourself? Why not send a runner?"

He shrugged. "I guess I'm still not used to this whole royalty thing. I prefer to run my own errands."

Luna laughed airily. "Such a noble…" The foal inside her kicked and she winced.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. The little one is simply… rambunctious today."

He looked at her with sincere concern in his eyes. "Maybe you should see the doctor. Morning Dew wasn't kicking Cadance nearly as hard as that foal is kicking you."

"But remember; my niece was not born as she is. She may have become an alicorn, but she was born a simple pegasus. She is not…" She paused, unsure of how to say the next word without sounding too superior. "…divine." She failed _miserably_. She offered her lover a small smile. "Why are you so concerned?"

Shining Armor returned the smile. "Well, the foal may not be mine, but…"

"But?"

"But I feel bad that he'll never get to know his father."

Luna recoiled internally but continued listening.

"I've never felt anything as amazing as being a father. It really changes your perspective of things and… ah, I just don't know how to put it into words."

Luna giggled. "It's cute seeing you act this way. I haven't seen you this flustered since I demonstrated the Zeboran Seduction Dance."

Shining Armor blushed at the memory and continued. "The point I'm trying to make is… well, since Colonel Nightshade can't be around to feel that way, then I guess somepony has to."

"What are you saying?"

Shining Armor took a deep breath and smiled. "I'd be honored if you made me the foal's godfather."

Luna was silent as his words plunged deeper and deeper into her. The unbridled honesty of the request, his earnest wanting to do the right thing, cut her to the bone. She stared at him, wanting nothing more than to fall to her knees and tell him everything, to confess her sins and tell him who the foal's father really was.

Instead she kissed him.

It was not a lustful, passionate kiss like so many before they had shared on her tower balcony. It was slow and romantic, a kiss that took it's time.

They parted slightly and Shining Armor inhaled the sweet perfume around her. "Is that a yes?"

She kissed him again, deeper this time.

Shining Armor forgot his surroundings and surrendered as he always did.

Neither heard the door swing open into the hallway.

"Shining Armor?" Cadance called as she stepped out of the chamber. "Morning Dew took to his nap easier than I thought he would. I thought maybe we could…" Her eyes fell upon the kissing lovers and the words died in her throat. She took a reflexive step back as her jaw hung wide open. A strange phantom pain flooded her every fiber and she began to cry without even realizing it. "Sh…Shining Armor?" She whispered hoarsely.

The pair broke apart and stared in shock at the pink princess. Shining Armor reached out to her. "Cadance, I can explain…"

She bolted down the hall, her sobs echoing along the walls.

"CADANCE!" Shining Armor cried after her and made to give chase.

Luna's scream stopped him in mid-air.

He looked back and saw her collapsed on her side, shrieking in agony as she clutched her swollen belly. "Luna? What is it?"

"The… the foal…" she choked out. "It's coming…"

Shining Armor looked away from her and back at the way his wife had run. "But Cadance…"

Luna screamed again.

Whether it was his chivalrous nature or the shame at his secret finally being discovered, something kept Shining Armor from following his beloved down the castle's corridors. He instead hefted the princess of the night onto his back and ran as hard as he could for the infirmary.

/

Deep in the castle's bowels, in the hidden Archives of Truth, the librarian called Brother Veritas hummed an ancient melody as he reorganized a nearby shelf of scrolls.

His peace was soon shattered by a slammed open door and the panting sobs of a mare he knew well.

"Cadance?!" Veritas spun, his tattered robe sweeping ancient tomes from a low shelf. "Whatever's wrong, child?" He crossed the room and embraced his former student.

Her body was shaking with the power of her sorrow. "I d-don't want t-to t-talk about it."

Veritas tilted her chin up and gave her a comforting look. "Remember the pledge of a student and pupil, Cadance. _'Hide from me nothing…'_"

"_'…and nothing shall I hide from thee.'_" She finished before sighing and wiping her eyes. "It's Shining Armor. I found him kissing…" She caught her tongue before she named her adulterous aunt. "…another mare."

Veritas winced but continued to stroke his young friend's mane in as comforting a fashion as he could manage. "Are you sure? Perhaps this mare simply surprised your husband. He's not a bad looking chap, is he?"

"There's no mistake." Cadance almost growled. "He was definitely being enthusiastic about it."

"Did he try to explain?"

"I don't know. He might've tried, but…"

"But?"

"But, when I saw it, I… I don't know. It… it hurt me and I panicked and I ran here on instinct, like I did when I was little. The pain was unlike anything I've ever felt before. It… it felt like a knife sticking right into my heart." She looked at him with worry. "Why did it hurt like that?"

Veritas sighed and pulled away. "You are one with the power of love itself, child, and today was the first time you've ever felt real heart-ache. Your body must have interpreted it as actual physical pain."

Cadance turned and pouted, just like she'd done as a filly. "I don't like it."

Veritas forced a chuckle and turned back to the shelf he'd been working on. "It's rare to find the pony who enjoys heart-ache, Cady-did." Using her old nickname made him relax somewhat. "I'm sure this is all a big misunderstanding. If you dry your eyes, go upstairs, and let them explain, I'm sure Shining Armor and Princess Luna will…"

"What did you say?"

Brother Veritas nearly bit off the tip of his tongue. "Uh… I said that I'm sure they'll be able to…"

"I never told you Luna was the one kissing Shining Armor."

Veritas felt his heart beginning to race. "Yes you did. It was the first thing you said when you walked in."

"Brother Veritas; look at me."

"I don't see the…"

"_Look at me!_"

A command. She'd never commanded him before, never even insisted he use her royal title. He turned his head and found a strange look in her eyes; a kind of rage-tinged paranoia.

"What do you know?"

"Nothing, Princess Cadance."

Cadance's eyes narrowed. "You are a terrible liar." She began to advance on him.

Veritas actually felt himself trying to get away, sliding his body along the shelf for support beneath her withering gaze. "Cadance, you've experienced a traumatic…"

"_Silence._"

This was not the little alicorn he had instructed in the magical arts. This was not the teenage mare who had snuck down in the early morning hours to gush about the handsome big brother of the unicorn she foal-sat every weekend. This was not the grown adult who had cried with him when she'd shown him the ring her beloved Captain of the Guard had presented her with.

He wasn't sure what was approaching him now, but whatever it was it made him feel like a helpless child.

"_Remember the pledge._" There was the slightest hint of a mocking tone in her voice. "If you cared for me, you would tell me what I want to know."

"It's precisely because I care for you that I won't tell you! I can't tell you! Can't you understand that?" He cried out in desperation. "Princess Cadance, please…"

"You have all the law books down here. Surely you know it's a crime to withhold information from royalty?"

"Cadance, I'm begging you. Anything I told you would not ease your pain. It would only make it worse!"

"_Enough!_" Energy flared around her and began to manifest into a series of long, serpentine forms. "This is your last chance."

Veritas scrambled backwards as quick as he could, fear flooding every bone in his body. "PRINCESS CADANCE, DON'T DO THIS PLEASE!"

"Why do you keep saying that, Brother Veritas? I'm not a princess anymore." Her eyes went white with power and she offered what could only be described as a wicked grin. "I'm an _empress_ now."

Veritas had only enough time to notice a strange trick of the light; from his angle, it appeared that Cadance's cutie mark had… had changed somehow.

The crystal heart emblazoned on her flank had cracked.

The tendrils of energy shot out like hungry snakes.

"CADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_" Verita's final plea for mercy faded into a scream of agony that echoed through the archives.

/

In the nursery above, Princess Luna's son drew in his first breath and greeted the world with a prolonged cry.


End file.
